Puma Rise Nitro Performance Review

The Puma Rise Nitro is lightweight, comfortable, and fits well. It’s one of the best basketball shoes available from Puma.

Colorway: Sun Stream/Blue Atoll

Release Date: 2022

Price: $125

9/10

Total Score

Puma basketball may have started slowly, especially in the cushion department, but times have changed, and Puma has improved. The Puma MB.01 is LaMelo Ball’s signature model and represents the brand well. Their primary team shoe, the Puma Rise Nitro, isn’t just an ordinary basketball shoe and shows a lot of potential for beastly on-court performance. The more great performance sneakers we get, the better for all of us consumers.

Traction

The outsole pattern is a wave-bone implemented to cater primarily to lateral movements. The bite is hard and will stop on a dime, but you won’t get squeaking sounds out of them if you’re into that. The traction comes up the midsole just a bit for those toe drags on tricky crossovers. However, because of the soft rubber compound used on the outsole, outdoors isn’t the Rise Nitro’s strong suit. Only after a few hours of play outside, there are already prominent bald spots.

Cushion

The cushion was the least impressive part of the Puma Rise Nitro experience. We get a full-length Nitro-infused foam midsole much like the Puma MB.01 Low. If you’ve played in that shoe, you know the drill for the most part. However, these feel denser than that shoe and others with the same technology. There’s not a notable amount of bounce, and when you feel that, it’s primarily due to the ProPlate. The cushion isn’t bad by any means; impact protection was still there, and the Ortholite insole provided good step-in comfort.

Materials

The upper of Puma Rise Nitro is purely a seamless textile. The most prominent feature is the knit shroud that adds another layer to the shoe while also giving you a place to tuck your laces. Inside the shroud is a typical shoe with lots of nylon to ensure you’re laced up nicely. There are also PwrTape overlays for added structure. If you’re expecting breathability, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

Fit

The fit is my favorite aspect of the Puma Rise Nitro. True to size is recommended for almost everyone. Wide-footers shouldn’t have a problem going up half a size, but trying them on in-store is always safest. Containment is excellent in whichever direction you choose to go, thanks in large part to the additional overlays.

Support

Support starts with the fit, and that’s spot on, assuming you get your correct size. Lateral stability was never an issue due to the lateral plastic overlay, foam that comes up the upper, and the broad and stable base. The heel containment isn’t like the Freak 4 that grabs your Achilles and won’t let go, but with a sturdy heel counter and plenty of collar padding, it isn’t lacking either. The x-bar ProPlate torsional support system works to make the Puma Rise Nitro rigid enough to be supportive.

Overall

The Puma Rise Nitro is one of the best shoes Puma has to offer, and it’s been among my favorite shoes to play in all year. It’s fairly lightweight and has comfortable materials that rest well over your feet. The fit is excellent for most foot shapes, widths, and lengths. The support is great so long as you get the fit right. There’s not much to complain about, other than it not featuring a springy cushioning system like Nike’s Zoom Air. Puma continues to evolve and improve upon its previous releases. We’re excited for what’s to come next.

Nike LeBron 19 Review: 6-Month INDOOR & OUTDOOR Analysis

The king of flashiness and luxury is here again. As much as certain people don’t like LeBron’s main line of shoes very much, we have to acknowledge just how much fun they can be to play in, and how much detail is taken into account with each release. Let’s analyze it all in my detailed 6-month LeBron 19 review.

After hooping indoors in a couple of gyms and also outdoors over a lengthy period of time, I’ll break down the shoe’s fit & comfort aspects, on-court performance, build quality & reliability, versatility and decide if it’s worth choosing over The King’s previous models.

SPEC SHEET

2-MIN REVIEW

KD 13 Review: Durant’s Latest Shoe Performance Breakdown

After a very successful KD 12, the 13th model seems like it barely had areas to improve upon. Same price, near-identical specs, and even the silhouette is super similar. In this KD 13 review, I’ll be breaking down the shoe’s performance, value, differences from the last shoe, and recommending it for the most fitting players.

I. SPEC SHEET

II. 1-MIN REVIEW 

For those in a hurry: the Nike KD 13 has made some tweaks from last year’s shoe but it arguably took a few steps back as well. Expect a snug fit – wide footers should go up 1/2 a size.

I liked the shoe overall: solid traction carried over from the 12, the same awesome Zoom Air strobel that felt even a tad bit bouncier, and a basic yet functional textile upper that didn’t bring any issues.

However, it’s the lateral containment of the build that might cause concern for some, especially for shifty guards, heavy dudes or explosive athletes who jump out of the gym. All in all, the KD 12 is the safer option if you can’t decide.

 The full review is below

III. COMFORT & FIT

Do they fit true to size or should you go up/down? How comfortable are they? Anything else to know fit-wise?

SIZING GUIDE

KD’s shoe releases are known to be quite narrow and compact, especially in the forefoot area – the KD 13 follows a similar construction to the 12th and it’s also just as narrow as Durant’s other signatures.

So just as for the KD 12, I went up half a size for these since I’m a wide footer and the fit feels extremely close to the last model. After I broke them in which really didn’t take too long (thanks to an upper with a lot of give), I achieved a very snug and condensed fit.

Though not in a bad way – some people prefer a more roomy fit with more space for your foot to operate it, some prefer a tighter, more snug fit like KD’s shoes bring. Regular/narrow footers will want to go true to size for a snug and condensed fit, and half a size up if you want the shoe to feel a bit less condensed and tight.

COMFORT & CONTAINMENT

Comfort overall is nothing special but nothing bad either – I felt comfortable inside the shoe and never felt like it was lackluster in that area. Looks like there’s even more internal padding than on the KD 12 which is always awesome.

Due to the change in the upper, the shoe does feel secure and stable mostly but foot containment took a bit of a hit in the result.

During idle or lesser movements, my wide foot felt perfectly fine, I was extremely secure and stable, seems like the upper was holding my foot in place at all times.

During more aggressive movements such as quick cuts, I did feel like my foot almost wanted to jump out of the footbed, which is not a cool feeling to have when you’re worried about the game at hand.

It’s nothing very major though – I never felt my foot slid out of the footbed completely or the shoe’s upper collapsed – it just felt like the upper is too flimsy and all over the place to properly hold me in place 100% at the time.

My feet never escaped what it shouldn’t have but it’s still a bit bothering to have a feeling of insecurity during movements.

I think this is due to two things mainly: first, it’s the flimsy upper with more give than it should have during movements.

Second, it’s the way my foot sits inside the shoe – usually, for a narrow shoe like this one, you would sit pretty deep into the carrier, making your foot more secure and cupped around the frame since the shoe’s base is narrow to start, so you won’t be getting much stability from that.

On the KD 13, it almost feels like an unfinished job – I did feel my foot was somewhat inside the carrier but not to an extent where it could’ve felt much more stable and secure.

Overall though, I probably made it sound like it’s really bad – it’s not, as the near-sliding-out feeling happens occasionally and on the quickest, hardest movements. Though that’s still something to keep in mind as it might bother some players more than others.

IV. TRACTION

Does it grip various surfaces well? Is dust/debris a factor? How long will the outsoles last outdoors?

The shoe comes in several different outsole variants – there’s the translucent one, there’s a semi-translucent one and there’s the full-on solid rubber option.

I went with the solid rubber version, of course, just to be safe and I wasn’t disappointed – the shoe offers fantastic traction that’s effective on pretty much all courts.

I would say the performance of the traction feels the same as on the KD 12’s translucent outsole option since I only tested that one. The KD 13’s outsole didn’t require to wipe them almost at all, I’ve played on a synthetic rubber court outside and on a wood court inside. Both scenarios brought great results, no complaints there.

OUTDOOR-READY? NOT SO FAST

As for outdoor durability, I do feel the same as for the 12th – I wouldn’t take these as my primary outdoor shoe since the rubber doesn’t seem very reliable. Even after a few games on a rubber court, I can see some chipping here and there on the sides but performance definitely hasn’t suffered yet.

This is once again more of the same from the Nikey formula – you can take these outdoors and they will play well for a while, just don’t expect to be it that way for too long.

V. CUSHION

How’s the impact protection? What about step comfort and energy return of the foam? Is it stable?

The cushion setup on the KD 13 is full-length Zoom Air directly under your foot and an additional Zoom unit placed just under the full-length Zoom in the forefoot area.

It sounds awesome and it plays awesome. These are no joke, seriously – if you loved the setup on the KD 12, then this is pretty much that ALONG with even more bounce, softness, and more fun to jump around in these.

I’d call this a near-perfect setup, hell it might even be perfect for certain players. One of the rare occasions where the setup is balanced and versatile and doesn’t sacrifice any major elements pretty much every player is appreciative of.

The ride overall is silky smooth, it’s bouncy and it’s seriously comfy to play in, no matter the movement. Thanks to an extra Zoom unit in the forefoot, the forefoot area rarely feels as alive and springy as on the KD 13.

Forget the usual dead feeling you get in the forefoot area on most hoop shoes today – the KD 13 delivers more than enough forefoot cushion without making it feel clumsy or slow.

Whether you’re a shooter, a quick guard, an explosive forward, whatever – this setup will get the job done and then some.

VI. SUPPORT

How much all-around security does it offer? What about the build’s stability and foot containment? Any restrictions in result?

THE GOOD STUFF

The support area is where some issues might occur for certain players. Let’s start with the good stuff first.

The shoe does have critical support features in place – you got your internal heel counter, the mid-cut ankle collar is pretty stiff and thanks to the extra plastic midfoot strap connected to the laces, tightening these up results in superb ankle & heel lockdown.

There’s also a torsional plate implemented under the foot for torsional protection which is also nice and works well.

THE BAD STUFF

The slight issue is the overall foot containment I was talking about earlier. I don’t know what’s up with Nikey and the air jordan 37, but it seems that we rarely get to see quality outriggers implemented to his shoes for proper lateral coverage. The KD 13 doesn’t have those either.

Pair that with the upper not holding your foot in sometimes along with the way your feet sit inside the shoe (which is kind of half-assed) and you might have some containment/stability issues at hand if you like to play aggressively.

I for sure like to play with force and driving to the hoop is my #1 weapon, and I felt like that was taken away from me or at least altered my intentions at times. Not saying all the time but it was enough to where I was thinking about it pretty often.

I mean you got a shoe that’s got a narrow base and your foot doesn’t sit deep inside the carrier. What could be done about that?

Place proper outriggers on the lateral areas of the shoe. Implement some kind of internal webbing system to hold the foot. Reinforce the upper with TPU or something to make it more sturdy. Put a cage inside the shoe to handle the load for containment.

You can see that many things could’ve been done to correct the issue but I feel like they were overlooked due to either making the shoe still retail at $150 or keeping the shoe’s weight in check along with mobility.

I don’t know why exactly some of this stuff wasn’t thought of but from a pure user’s perspective, I’d say there’s room for improvement here. Or maybe just go back to the KD 12 and go from there.

VII. THE BUILD

What are the materials used? How well do they perform on-court? How’s the quality & reliability of the build?

The upper is pretty much made of a soft synthetic textile along with some stitch work on certain areas for durability.

I’m not mad at this setup – I am totally a performance-first guy when it comes to basketball shoes and the upper didn’t bother me. It’s still comfortable enough to not be thinking about it, breathability won’t be that good though since it’s all one-layer synthetics.

The upper requires virtually zero time to break in as it’s really soft and flexible. So for any wide footer, this eases up the process and helps us out.

For $150 though, this is far from premium and doesn’t look too durable. Plus, that containment issue is likely partly due to the flimsy upper, so I would surely have to give the edge to the KD 12 in this area.

I don’t see any chippings or frayings on the upper thankfully but don’t expect these to hold up well if you’ll be wrecking them outside.

I don’t see this upper worth this price tag but since the rest of the shoe is awesome, it could be justified I guess.

VIII. OVERALL

Rounding things up: are they versatile? Who’s best suited for the shoe? Is it a good deal amongst the competition?

I liked the Nike KD 12 and I liked the KD 13 as well. However, I feel like some steps were taken forwards while some were taken backward, which seems to be common these days in the performance basketball market.

QUICK RECAP

The shoe is absolutely fantastic in most areas, it’s extremely versatile and meant to be a suitable fit for many different players. Its cushion setup is one of the best EVER, traction’s great, the shoe is super comfortable.

The containment scenario is something to think about before getting these. The $150 price tag is not too bad when you think about it – for that amazing Zoom setup and great traction, I think the price is justified even despite the little hiccup.

IX. ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

Not sure on the KD 13? Check out the potential alternatives that should satisfy your needs

If you’re someone who doesn’t rely on driving and throwing yourself around hard on the court – the KD 13 is definitely a viable option to check out. But even then, there’s no guarantee your specific build and the way you play won’t interfere with this particular issue some are having.

Looking a year back, the KD 12 would be the safer bet since I didn’t have any complaints regarding the shoe’s lateral containment & stability.

The newer KD 14 has launched in 2021 and I’ve recently put just over 4 months (and counting since I’m having a blast with it) for the review.

It’s now my favorite KD sneaker out of the last three and it’s even tougher to find any real flaws with that one.

So there you go – you’ve got options

Nike Kyrie 6 Review: Your Ultimate Guard’s Shoe Improved

After another typical Kyrie release that was the 5th model catered towards Kyrie-like low-profile guards, the latest Kyrie 6 might be looking to shake things up a bit? I know I’ve said that and a lot of us did, a few years in a row now. Regardless, I’m bringing you my Nike Kyrie 6 review after 2 months of play.

We’ll be taking a look if the same $130 price tag is still worth it, I’ll be breaking down how I felt about the shoe’s fit & comfort, all-around performance on the court and if you own a pair of Kyrie 5’s, I’ll hopefully help you make up your mind whether you should upgrade.

SPEC SHEET

 

Model: Nike Kyrie 6

Build: Mid-top

Weight: 15.95 oz / 452 g. (size 10.5 US)

Retail Price: $130

Cushion: Forefoot Air Zoom Turbo & Phylon midsole

I. COMFORT & FIT

 

Starting off with the fit and comfort, I think these are a step up from the last Kyrie shoe.

The upper has changed, and so did the way the shoe hugs my foot, especially after breaking them in for a few days.

I have wide feet, and I’ve seen some reviews indicating these run small. I went true to size with the Kyrie 5 (and regretted it), so decided to go up half a size with the 6, and this time, I wasn’t disappointed.

Sure, I did feel slightly uncomfortable during my first week of play, the upper was still stiff and the cushion didn’t feel like it should. But after I broke them in properly, even my wide foot felt pretty good in there.

I finally felt the experience that’s supposed to be the norm for a Kyrie hoop shoe – secure, mobile, and balanced just right for a guard. No gimmicks, no extra shiny stuff that sounds good on paper.

I think these will be a strong contender among the top shoes for wide footers if you go up half a size, as well as they’re just comfortable.

It seems like there’s a bit more internal padding than on the Kyrie 5, plus the ventilation of the shoe improved thanks to a more premium material combination.

For regular/narrow footers, I would advise you to try these in stores, or if you’re not able to, ordering both your true size and a half size up online, and then returning the unneeded one is an option.

Overall, these fit and feel just right. I probably wouldn’t put these into a top 3 most comfy sneakers, since you simply can’t beat the experience a shoe with a soft upper such as knit, and when done right can bring.

BUT, if you’re looking for a shoe to get the job done in a secure and mobile way that makes you forget that you’re in a shoe while playing, the Kyrie 6 definitely has you covered.

II. TRACTION

 

Looks like classic herringbone is still not back but I’m not complaining – these performed pretty much just as reliably as the Kyrie 5.

Multi-directional grip at its finest, inside or outside – I didn’t have any issues. I also didn’t even need to wipe the outsoles off.

I did so just out of a habit but just occasionally, and I feel like these will surely hold up even if you completely forget about all that wiping business and just play.

The rubber compound on the outsole is very similar to the 5th Kyrie – it’s thick and it doesn’t look too unreliable. I took these outdoors a lot and I don’t yet see any deterioration, and the performance is still a-okay.

Kyrie’s line never disappoints in this category – and the Kyrie 6 is a great shoe to take in both indoors and outdoors without breaking down for a while.

III. CUSHION

 

The cushion setup is once again very close to the last model – it’s Zoom Air Turbo in the forefoot with an injected Phylon midsole throughout the shoe.

Despite the similar setup on paper, I did feel a marginal improvement here. Our dreams finally came true?

Not really.

I still feel like this is a guard’s shoe at its core but I must admit I could actually feel the cushion’s presence more, especially in the forefoot area, which is pretty rare nowadays.

A subtle layer of thin Zoom Air Turbo paired with a quality Phylon midsole works wonders for making a perfect guard’s shoe, so court feel and responsiveness are still through the roof.

But this time you’ll get a bit more impact protection and feel like there’s actually some energy return under your feet, as opposed to the shoe feeling dead. Responsive, fast, but dead. Not the case anymore with the Kyrie 6.

My heel-to-toe transitions also felt a bit smoother thanks to improved Phylon foam this year. Despite not having a proper Zoom unit in the heel, I still felt there was just a bit more give to it than on the Kyrie 5’s, which is always welcome.

The Kyrie 6’s cushioning is more balanced and more players/playstyles will appreciate it. For a heavy forward or a center, I’d still choose something with more give, such as the Zoom Rize.

But for just about any guard, these will have all the basic elements covered, if you’re aiming for a responsive setup more than a plushy, bouncy one.

IV. SUPPORT

 

The support area is pretty much carried over from the last model – we have an internal heel counter, outriggers for lateral coverage, and the shoe’s base is nice and flat.

There’s also the midfoot strap and the lacing system gets pretty deep – there’s internal lacing in the midfoot area and adjustable cables in the forefoot.

All that combined works just as well as on any other Kyrie shoe – I felt extremely supported, lockdown is fantastic, foot containment never failed once.

It’s a mid-top, so you won’t get as much ankle mobility as you would on a compact low-top, but mobility overall didn’t feel sacrificed.

Any guards all the way to the most explosive ones will definitely find the supportive features of the Kyrie 6 up to par.

A couple of things to note – first, I didn’t feel the extra midfoot strap added anything in terms of lockdown or containment, no matter how hard I tried to strap it.

Second, the forefoot cables liked to get loose pretty quick after I laced them up tight. Nothing out of the ordinary from a basketball shoe but still would’ve liked not to be bothered by something like that.

Once I re-laced the shoe completely and made it a bit looser, the issue was pretty much gone, so perhaps I was pushing those cables to the limits, who knows?

V. BUILD & MATERIALS

 

The upper of the shoe is the biggest difference from the Kyrie 5. This time, it’s a textile material on the forefoot area and the heel area is all genuine leather.

That is a fantastic setup that’s pretty rarely seen in today’s kicks, due to the new era of synthetics used on pretty much everything now.

Due to genuine leather being genuine leather – you will have to break them in for a bit before you feel the complete experience.

I personally felt great in the shoe after 7-8 days of playing. Regular footers might break these in even faster.

I didn’t feel a drastic difference over the Kyrie 5 but it’s surely an improvement. The forefoot textile is nothing special but it’s not a dealbreaker either.

The heel area has improved ventilation over the Kyrie 5 and works very well with the supportive features due to its durable and flexible nature.

The shoe is also durable, even the forefoot area since the textile on it is sewed well, there are visible seams, and the shoe is nowhere near looking dated despite me constantly playing outdoors.

I think this is a more premium upper than the five and for that, I give props to this one since the price tag remains the same.

VI. OVERALL

 

The Kyrie 6 is a slight step-up from the Jordan 37 and I’m fully down with that – you can pretty much state that the Kyrie line is all about “what ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

Thanks to the slight changes here and there and a nicer upper combo – the Nike Kyrie 6 is still a killer guard’s shoe, but it’s now a bit more than that, thanks to a more balanced, but still very responsive cushioning setup.

Low-profile or explosive, indoors or outdoors – the Kyrie 6 has got your back!

Hoka Mafate Speed 4 Performance Review

The Hoka Mafate Speed 4 is quite possibly the softest trail running shoe ever created. The midsole is Charmin soft. Anyone on the lookout for a softer shoe for trail running or hiking needs to try on the Hoka Mafate Speed 4. It’s an experience unlike any other.

Hoka Mafate Speed 4

Release Date: August 2022

Price: $185

Weight: M – 10.4oz, W – 8.5oz

Drop: 4mm (29mm forefoot, 33mm heel)

Sizing: True to size

• Rundown: The Hoka Mafate Speed 4 is luxuriously soft but the lack of upper containment is an issue for bombing trail runs. It’s best used as a super comfortable hiking shoe.

Pros

• Softest Trail Shoe…ever?
• Incredible Traction
• Comfortable Upper

Cons

• Upper Containment

Pros

Softest Trail Shoe…ever?

Look at the picture at the top of the page. Do you see how the Hoka Mafate Speed 4 just wraps around the rock I’m standing on? It’s like wearing Gumby as jordan 37…I mean, if you think of Gumby as a large hunk of super soft, impressively bendable foam. The Profly+ foam is softer than any other Profly+ I’ve tried before. Your foot just sinks into it. It also just disperses any pressure from rocks or roots and provides great impact protection.

The softness of this midsole is such an interesting experience for a trail shoe. It’s so different from other trail shoes on the market that I’d recommend trying it on at your local running store even if you’re not in the market for a new trail shoe.

Incredible Traction

When I see that Vibram branding I know the traction will be legit. The Hoka Mafate Speed 4’s outsole is Vibram at its best. Hoka used Vibram Megagrip with 5mm lugs. I’d never heard of Megagrip but it’s aptly named. Conditions or trail consistency didn’t matter one bit. Every step bit deep into the ground and my foot stayed where I put it.

In fact, the traction was too good for the upper…but we’ll get to that a little later.

Comfortable Upper

A soft, plush gusseted tongue with a doughy ankle collar gets us started and the jacquard mesh finishes us off. It’s an all-around comfortable shoe with no places for hot spots. It’s also wide enough to accommodate various wide or tall foot shapes. The Mafate Speed 4 is perfect if you’re prepping for an all-day or multi-day hike and trying to find a shoe that won’t hurt your feet. It’s comfortable from top to bottom and over the long haul.

Cons

Upper Containment

There’s only one con in my Hoka Mafate Speed 4 review but it’s a big one. The single layer of jacquard mesh used on the sidewalls just doesn’t do a good job containing your feet when you pick up speed. It’s bad enough I can’t recommend this as a trail running shoe. Every speedy downhill is a twisted ankle waiting to happen. However, the Mafate Speed 4 can handle hiking just fine. Let’s get more in depth about why that is.

First, let’s start at the bottom of the shoe. As stated above, the traction grips everything insanely well. When the outsole grips the surface you’re running on that well, but your foot is still sliding sideways on a turn, the midsole or upper needs to be built to keep your foot on top of the footbed. The single layer of jacquard mesh is too flimsy to get the job done. Your foot just ends up sliding over the side of the midsole which may potentially cause the shoe to tip over.

To counteract this, Hoka needed to sit the foot down inside the midsole a little more so the foam sidewalls could act as retaining walls and keep the foot on the footbed. Hoka did this at the heel but not at the arch or forefoot. The combo of no foam sidewalls and the thin upper just doesn’t work well for fast trail running where you spend the majority of the time on your toes.

However, depending on your natural ankle stability, the Hoka Mafate Speed 4 works great for slow and steady hiking.

Hoka Mafate Speed 4 Summary

The Hoka Mafate Speed 4 is the softest trail shoe I’ve ever worn. It offers a fantastic feel underfoot. The traction’s some of the best on the market. Unfortunately, the upper fails at keeping the foot secure and preventing rollovers. The resulting instability limits the use cases for this shoe.

The Mafate Speed 4 will perform great on normal, non-technical hiking trails. But if you’re primarily hiking very technical, steep trails or are a trail runner, you should check out our other trail running shoe reviews to find something better suited to your needs.